The present invention relates to a machine for producing bean curd, more particularly "momen tofu," or bean curd which is prepared usually with use of "momen" or cotton cloth.
Machines for producing "kinugoshi tofu" or fine-textured bean curd in large quantities are known which are adapted to fill coagulant-containing soybean milk into containers and coagulate the milk to obtain such bean curd as contained in the containers, whereas no machine is known for producing "momen tofu" or coarse-textured bean curd in large quantities as placed in containers by dewatering and shaping coagulated soybean milk.
For producing coarse-textured bean curd in a large quantity as placed in containers, it appears useful to fill coagulant-containing soybean milk into a plurality of buckets individually and coagulate the milk by heating. If the amount of milk filled in differs from bucket to bucket in this case, the velocity of coagulation will vary from bucket to bucket to result in uneven coagulation. No problem will arise if the soybean milk is coagulated over a sufficient period of time, but when it is attempted to rapidly coagulate the milk for quantity production, uneven coagulation is likely to occur since a mass of soybean milk has difficulty in conducting heat therethrough to its interior central portion.
Further it appears useful to dewater and shape coagulated soybean milk with use of press buckets each formed with a multiplicity of apertures not passing the coagulated milk therethrough but permitting removal of water from the coagulated milk therethrough, such that the coagulated milk is transferred from the coagulating buckets to the press buckets and then pressed at a stroke as placed in the press buckets. In this case, it is likely that the coagulated soybean milk in the press buckets will have surface irregularities or a slanting surface or will be filled in to varying levels. If such portions of coagulated milk is pressed at a stroke, the pressure applied will differ from bucket to bucket, failing to subject all milk portions to a uniform load to dewater the milk unevenly.
When the bean curd obtained by dewatering and shaping the coagulated milk is to be withdrawn from the press buckets and packed into containers, the bean curd as dewatered and shaped is hot and is therefore very soft and readily collapsible. Difficulties will be encountered in transferring the bean curd from the press buckets into the containers quickly without collapsing.